Brett and Naghemeh King are currently under arrest in Spain for failing to care for their sick son after the family left Southampton General Hospital to seek proton beam therapy in Prague.

Ashya's parents were arrested on Saturday night and refused to consent to a Spanish judge's proposal of extradition to the UK.

They were later transferred to a prison close to Madrid with no date set for a return to court or a decision on their bail application.

Brett and Naghemeh King [PA]

The Crime Prosecution Service [CPS] are now seeking to withdraw the European arrest warrant as they prepare to spend their third day in jail.

Hampshire Constabulary have stood firm with their decision to put out a European arrest warrant.

And they maintained that their main concern was with the welfare of a "vulnerable, sick child".

Andy Marsh, Hampshire's chief constable, has told the public that the situation concerning the King family "is not right".

Ashya, five, suffers from a stage four brain tumour and is now being treated at the Materno-Infantil hospital in Malaga under constant police guard.

The boy's disappearance last week launched an international media storm and subsequent manhunt, with officials fearing for Ashya's safety.

Marsh wrote, in a letter to prosecutors: "Our intent was to secure his safety not to deny him family support at this particularly challenging time in his life," he wrote.

"Irrespective of what has happened, it is our view that Ashya needs both medical treatment and for his parents to be at his side."Nick Clegg is among thousands of Britons who have called for fairer treatment of Ashya' parents, who last night spent another evening in custody.

“Our intent was to secure his safety not to deny him family support at this particularly challenging time in his life”

Andy Marsh, Hampshire Constabulary's Chief Constable

Former Britain's Got Talent judge Piers Morgan publicly tweeted his dismay by suggesting Prime Minister David Cameron should intervene. Ex-England striker Gary Lineker has also tweeted his dismay at the treatment of the King family.

Lineker asked on Twitter: "Someone needs to explain why Aysha King's parents are being detained? Seems they just want the best treatment for their child."

"I know what it's like to have a child fighting for their life. You do anything you think is for the best," he tweeted.

The BBC football pundit's son, George, suffered with leukaemia as a young child.

The Deputy Prime Minister also put on a front of solidarity for the family on BBC Breakfast this morning, claiming that it is inappropriate for the full force of the law to be used against them.

Clegg said live on the show: “My heart goes out - and I'm sure every mum or dad will have the same response, which is, as far as I can make out, this is a family in a state of real anguish who have taken this exceptional step of moving their sick child to another country because they think that's what is best for their child.

“We can debate whether it is or is not but that seems to be their motive and those are not motives I can argue with.

“That's why I personally think that throwing the full force of the law at Mr and Mrs King, who appear to be doing what they believe to be best for their own family, I don't think is an appropriate thing to do. But that, at the end of the day, is for the police and the CPS and others to decide," he added.

Mr and Mrs King originally intended to cash in on a holiday home to pay for the therapy, which is not available for brain tumours like Ashya's in the UK. They then hoped to send him to the Proton Therapy Centre in Prague, which has since confirmed they would treat him as soon as possible should he meet their criteria.

Naveed, Ashya's brother, yesterday told Channel 4 News that nobody in the family has been allowed to speak to him since being admitted to the hospital in Malaga.

"We have tried to call the hospital but they are not revealing any information at all to us,” he said.

Adding: "My mum was by his side for the whole month that he was in hospital so for him to now suddenly not be with anyone of the family… his health might actually deteriorate because he can't be entertained and happy."

Leader of Portsmouth City Council, Donna Jones, has pleaded with the CPS to reconsider their course of justice, telling prosecutors to "urgently review the case" and "remove any extradition proceedings so the family can be reunited with their five-year-old son".